It is called the airborne laser system and unfortunately it is not likely to be well funded this year.

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One reason that it and the airborne laser were shot down was that military planners fell out of love with chemical lasers.

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So, for example, having an operational Airborne Laser system and a ground based system give the sea based interceptor more timely and accurate information with which to do its job.

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Casualties include a scale-back of the Airborne Laser program to enable enemy missile interceptions during their early launch phase, along with the elimination of the Multiple Kill Vehicle and Kinetic Energy Interceptor which uses small warheads on a single rocket to handle decoys and offer a better chance of success.

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This included a scale-back of the Airborne Laser program to enable enemy missile interceptions during their early launch phase, along with the elimination of the Multiple Kill Vehicle and Kinetic Energy Interceptor which uses small warheads on a single rocket to handle decoys and offer a better chance of success.

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The suggestions that the United States has no need for a kinetic-kill ASAT capability for "the next decade or two" and that there are alternatives that already exist for negating or disrupting enemy space activities, such as destroying ground stations or jamming links, would also appear to rule out the use of the Airborne Laser program for anti-satellite purposes.

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The flights will be conducted by a DC-8 outfitted as a special airborne laboratory with laser mapping instruments, ice-penetrating radar and gravity instruments.

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Companies that have spent many years developing airborne self-protection laser systems like Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems say some of their competitors for the contract are latecomers to that business who may not fully grasp the challenge of dealing with emerging dangers or integrating laser equipment with all the other systems installed on Army helicopters.

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